Lok Sabha releases attendance data: Here's how TN's MPs fared

Most of the MPs from Tamil Nadu have good attendance at the Lok Sabha, according to the recent data released by the Lok Sabha, which is updated till the Monsoon session.

According to the data, Dharmapuri DMK MP Dr. S Senthilkumar is the best performer among all party MPs from Tamil Nadu in Lok Sabha so far. With an attendance of 99 per cent, Dr Senthilkumar has asked 231 questions during the Question Hours and participated in 110 debates.

DMK’s Tenkasi MP Dhanush Kumar follows Dr. Senthilkumar, with 99 per cent attendance and 229 questions in the Question Hours. Kumar has participated in 12 debates.

DMK also has the worst performers among its MPs. Among the worst performers are Arakkonam MP S Jagathrakshakan, who has an attendance of 33 per cent, has raised 119 questions and participated in nine debates.

Similarly, Thanjavur MP SS Palanimanickam has only 40 per cent attendance, has failed to ask any questions so far in the Question Hour and has participated in only three debates.

Other MPs from DMK, AIADMK, CPI, CPM, IUML and VCK have an average attendance of 70 per cent. Some of the MPs from Tamil Nadu have also moved private bills.

Also read: Monsoon Session ends with Parliament productivity reduced to a quarter

In February this year, Villupuram MP D Ravikumar moved a private bill to curtail the contempt powers of the Supreme Court and the High Courts. Like Ravikumar, Tuticorin DMK MP Kanimozhi and Ramanathapuram IUML MP Navaskani have moved two private bills each in the Lok Sabha.

Eight Congress MPs have an average attendance of 76 per cent and, among the best performing Congress MPs, Kanyakumari MP Vijay Vasanth has an attendance of 94 per cent and has raised 30 questions, but is yet to participate in any debate. Vasanth was elected in the by-election held in the Kanyakumari Lok Sabha Constituency along with the 2021 Assembly elections, due to the death of Vasanth’s father H Vasanthkumar because of COVID-19.

Following Vasanth is Virudhunagar Congress MP Manick Tagore, who has an attendance of 87 per cent, has raised 167 questions and participated in 51 debates. Karur Congress MP S Jothimani has 82 per cent attendance, raised 104 questions and has participated in 31 debates.

Krishnagiri Congress MP A Chellakumar has the worst attendance among Congress MPs. Chellakumar has an attendance of 53 per cent and raised 82 questions and participated in 19 debates since the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

Also read: Venkaiah Naidu asks MPs to attend Parliament, make use of library

Both MPs from CPI have less than 70 per cent attendance. Tirupur MP K Subbarayan has 56 per cent attendance, has raised 88 questions and participated in 27 debates. His colleague, Nagapattinam MP M Selvaraj has 69 per cent attendance, has raised 126 questions and participated in 42 debates.

The other Left party CPM also has two MPs, whose performance is better than CPI. Madurai CPM MP S Venkatesan has 77 per cent attendance, has raised 119 questions and participated in 18 debates. Coimbatore MP PR Natarajan has 86 per cent attendance, has raised 120 questions and participated in 32 debates.

The lone AIADMK P Raveendranath Kumar has 66 per cent attendance, has raised 98 questions and participated in 63 debates. Similarly, the lone IUML MP Navaskani has 81 per cent attendance, raised 144 questions and participated in 32 debates.

There is time for MPs who want to improve their performance, provided the sessions having Question Hours and debates are held.